Shoetree



Jan. 19, 1937. J. GERSHUNE 2,068,231

SHOETREE Filed April z, 1955 g IN VEN TOR.

Patented Jan. 19, 1937 UNITED STATES FATENT OFFICE 11 Claims.

This invention relates to shoe trees, that is a device to be inserted ina shoe to prevent it from warping when not in use; to stretch the shoeand iron out any Wrinkles that may have developed in same while wearingit; and thus prolong the fine appearance of the shoe and provide morecomfort to the user of same.

The objects of the invention are, first, to provide a shoe tree, simplein construction, in xpensive to manufacture and convenient to use;second, to reduce the total number of parts, and to eliminate all catchor release springs commonly used on devices of this type; and third, toprovide the shoe tree with simple means for easily adjusting it so thatit may be used on various sizes of shoes.

Referring to the accompanying drawing which forms part of the followingdescription;

Figure 1 is a vertical section of the shoe tree (shown in full lines)and an outline of a shoe (shown in, dotted lines) Figure 2, a plan viewof the shoe tree;

Figure 3, a section on the line 3--3 of Figure 1;

Figure 4, a section on the line 4-4 of Figure 1;

Figure 5, a detail section on the line 55 of Figure 6;

Figure 6, a detail of member 2;

Figure '7, a partial side view showing details on line 1-1 of Figure 2;

Figure 8, a detail of member 3; and Figure 9, an enlarged detail,illustrating the means provided in the shoe tree for adjusting it sothat it may be used for shoes of various sizes.

The toe-body I preferably made of cast aluminum, contains a plurality ofslotted holes 6 which extend more or less in a latitudinal direction,and in combination with same, two larger slots 1 are located in theextreme front portion of the toe body I. These slots are for the purposeof economizing in material, and to provide the maximum amount ofventilation to the inner sur face of the shoe with whichthe toe body Imakes contact. The two slots 1 are made larger for the reason that theextreme front portion of shoes is commonly made of less pliablematerial, and will not easily lose its shape; therefore, this particularportion does not depend greatly on the toe body I to iron out anywrinkles or warped shape resulting from' usual wear or other causes.With this combination of slotted holes arranged in the above describedmanner, the maximum amount of material is eliminated from the toe body Iwithout sacrificing its effective contour or shape.

The underside of the toe body I at its rear end is provided with aprojection 8 which is preferably cast or formed integrally with said toebody.-

toe body I, shown in Figure '1) is-eurved in'such a manner, so=that theeffective contour or shape embodying the extreme width and height of thetoe body I is retained in said toebody I.

The toggle arm 2 is provided withan elongated slot-II with a series ofslots l'2yperpendicular or nearly so to said elongated slot II andacting as gateways leading into the pivot supporting slots I3. Saidpivot supporting slots I3 are semicirculan or more or less so, and areoffset to the sides of their respective gateway slots I2. On the togglearm 3, 'thru hole I4; a shoulder rivet 4 is rigidly secured, and isadapted to move along the length of the elongated slot II thru any ofthe gateway slots I2 into a pivot supporting slot I3; where it may beseated (as shown in Figure 9), and thus pivotally support between itshead :I5. andthe sides of member 3, the toggle arm 2 (see Figure 4). Theforegoing arrangement enables one to vary the effective length of thetoggle arm 2 as desired, andto hold the two toggle members in a pivotaland adjusted position; thereby, permitting the shoe tree to be used forvarious shoe lengths.

In using the shoe tree, the toe-body I is inserted insidethe front endof the shoe; the heel piece I6 (preferably formed integrally with member3 by bending to shape and twisting it, as shown in Figure 8) is placedagainst the inside of the rear end of the shoe; the pivot 4 is insertedin one of the pivot supporting slots I3 (selecting the one to suit thesize of the shoe used) then the toggle arms 2 and 3 are pushed downwards(by means of pressure by hand exerted on either one or both of them),thuscausing the shoe to stretch in a lengthwise direction; the naturalresiliency of the shoe acting against the toe body I and heel body I6,will cause the pivot 4 to bear against and remain seated in the pivotsupporting slot I3; and the downward movement of the toggle joint beinglimited by I1 (formed integrally with member 2 by bending a portion ofits side thereof outward as shown in Figure 5) in contact with edge I8of member 3, will stop the movement of the toggle arms 2 and 3 when theyhave reached the position shown in Figure 1. In this position, pivot 4is off center below the line of thrust, and the toggle members 2 and 3will remain in their locked positions.

The foregoing is a description of a single specific embodiment of myinvention which best illustrates it. However, there may be modificationsin the construction of several parts and in the arrangement of same. Forinstance:

The toggle arm 3 integral with heel piece I6 may be a castingincorporating the same general idea as what is shown on the drawing.

The heel piece I6 may be made of wood and attached to the toggle arm 3(a bar).

above; and pivot 4 secured to arm 2 (or secured to projection B,eliminating member 2 entirely) Eighth, the elongated slot I I togetherwith slots I 2 and I3 may be incorporated in the projection 8 in any ofthe arrangements described above, thus eliminating the toggle arm 2entirely.

Ninth, the elongated slot I I with slots I2 and I3 may be incorporatedin the toe body proper; with a pivot engaging said slots and meansconnected to said pivot for compressing the toe body inside the frontend of the shoe against the tension of same shoe.

Having thus described my invention and modifications of same, I claim:

The toe body I may comprise a. combination of 7 or said slots 6 mayextend obliquely; or said slots 6 mayextend obliquely arranged in astag- I. In a device of the class described, a toe-body including anintegral projection; the sides of said projection being exposed forconvenience in assembling said device; and means connected to I saidprojection adjacent to one of said exposed sides for compressing saidtoe-body inside the front end ofa shoe. v v r p 2. In a deviceof theclass described, a toe body I having'an integral projection extendingfrom its f underside; the sides of a portion of said projecgeredrelationship; or said slots 6 may comprise a combination of any two "orrangements- I V The pivots 4 and 5, instead of being riveted for makingthese connections. portions may be either conventional or drive 'screwthreads. Either or a omb ination of these fas tening meansmay be used."

more of these artion being'exposed for convenience in assembling V saiddevice; said projection being reinforced by an adjacent portion of saidtoe-body joining the top extremity of one'of said exposed sides, andextending outwardly thereof; and means connected to said projection forcompressing said toe-body inside the front end of a shoe.

3. In a device of the class described, a toe body,a thrust bodycomprising a bar and a heel piece formed integrally by bendinga portionof said bar endwise, forming an enclosed loop of Referring to Figure '1and Figure '6," it T will be seen that the elongated slot II extendsdown ward obliquely relativeto the front part' of the toggle arm 2.Formed and" arranged in this} manner, better engagement may be hadbetween the pivot 4 and the pivotsupporting slots I 3;a'ndef a finer'orcloser step by step adjustment in' the direction of the shoe length isobtained thuslywithout decreasing the center distances between slotsTI3jWhile this arrangement is it maybe modified as follows:

preferred tive to said side, and means for compressing said First; thetoggle arm 2 may be inverted so that the elongated slot II extendsupward;

obliquely relative to the front part ofthe toggle arm 2; and arrangingdiiferently the'stop I'I'andl: edge I8 to allow the toggle arms 2 and3to open and lock for making them operative in a shoe"? tree.

bar (as indicated in Figure 9) the elongated slot I II extending in saidbar in alongitudinal' direction; the stop I] formed integrallywithsaid'bar by bending a section of its side thereof outward? and thetoggle arm -3, a rectangular bar prefer--- I ably formed integrally withthe heel piece "I6: Third, in any of the above described arrange-'-ments, the elongated slot II together with slots 5 I2 and I3 may beinverted in the toggle arm 2, and may extend in any desired direction;

Fourth, the gateway slots I2 may branch off into 1 Sixth, any or all.corners in the slot arrange V mcnts described may be angular insteadofround ed or circular.

Seventh, the elongated slot negate; with slots I2 and I3 may beincorporated in thetog- I gle arm 3 in any of the arrangements describedsaid portion and twisting said enclosed loop about the remaining.portion of said. bar, and means connecting said toe body and thrust bodyfor compressing said memberslongitudinally relative each other againstthe tension inside of a shoe.

4. In a deviceof the class described, a. toe body, a projection on saidtoo body, a pivot extending outwardly from one sideof said projection, ahead on said extending portion of said pivot fixed relatoe body insidethe front end of a shoe hinged on said pivot between said side and saidhead.

5. In a device of the class described, a toe body, and a thrust bodyconsisting of a bar including an enclosed loop formed integrally'at oneend thereof; said enclosed loop being twisted about the re- .7 I Imaining portion of said bar, the edge at the end Second, the toggle arm2 may be a rectangular of said loop bearing against the twist portion;and means connecting said toe body and thrust body for compressing themlongitudinally relative each other against the tension inside of a shoe.

6. A thrust body consisting of a bar including i an enclosed loopiormedintegrally at one end thereof; said enclosed loop being twisted aboutthe remaining portion of said bar, the edge at the end of said loopbearing against the twist portion.

7. A toggle joint consisting of a pair of toggle arms; a pivot extendingoutwardly from one side of one toggle arm and thru a slot included inthe other toggle arm, and including a head on its extending portionfixed relative to said one side for the purpose of providing a fixedestablished clearance between the adjacent sides of said toggle arms;said other toggle arm being hinged on said pivot between said one sideand said' head; longitudinal adjustment between said togglearms beingprovided by means of engagement of said pivot in said slot; and meansprovided to hold said toggle arms in adjusted positions.

8. In a device of the class described, a toe body and a pair of togglearms; one of said toggle arms pivotally connected at one'end to said toebody; one of said toggle arms provided with an elongated slot forengagement with a pivot in the other toggle arm to provide longitudinaladjustment between said toggle arms; said toggle arm containing saidslot provided with a bent portion, the bend line of which, extending1ongitudinally with respect to said slot; said toggle arm containingsaid pivot provided with an edge extending obliquely with respect to thecenter line of thrust of same toggle arm wherein it is contained; saidedge adapted to abut said bent portion to lock said toggle arms in anyone of their adjusted positions, the angle formed by their intersectingcenter lines of thrust being the same, when locked, for all of theiradjusted positions; and'means provided to hold said toggle arms inadjusted positions.

9. In a device of the class described, a toe body and a pair of togglearms; one of said toggle arms pivotally connected at one end to said toebody; one of said toggle arms provided with an elongated slot extendingobliquely with respect to the center line of thrust of same toggle armwherein it is contained; the other toggle arm provided with a pivot forengagement with said slot to provide longitudinal adjustment between ingsaid pivot provided with an edge extending obliquely with respect to thecenter line of thrust of same toggle arm wherein it is contained; saidedge adapted to abut said bent portion to lock said toggle arms in anyone of their adjusted positions, the angle formed by their intersectingcenter lines of thrust being the same, when locked, for all of theiradjusted positions; and means provided to hold said toggle arms inadjusted positions.

11. A toggle joint consisting of a pair of toggle arms; one of saidtoggle arms provided with an elongated slot extending obliquely withrespect to the center line of thrust of same toggle arm wherein it iscontained; the other toggle arm provided with a pivot for engagementwith said slot to obtain adjustment between said toggle arms; and meansprovided to hold said toggle arms in adjusted positions.

JULIUS GERSHUNE.

